Dear brothers of the Al-Watan Newspaper,
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmat Allahu wa Barakatu,
Please publish the following response to the mentioned article, in accordance with journalistic professionalism, and because retreating from error is a virtue, and the truth is the most deserving to be followed:
-It is evident in the mentioned article the absence of the correct conceptualization of the Khilafah state and the lack of the understanding of its obligation and importance, and the truth is that the Quranic texts dictated ruling by Islam in its numerous texts, furthermore the noble Sunnah came with sayings and actions that indicate that the Khilafah is the method of instituting this ruling, like when the best of creation, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“كانت بنو إسرائيل تسوسهم الأنبياء، كلما هلك نبي خلَفه نبي، وأنه لا نبي بعدي، وستكون خلفاء فتكثر، قالوا: فما تأمرنا؟ قال: فوا ببيعة الأول فالأول، وأعطوهم حقهم فإن الله سائلهم عما استرعاهم”
‘Bani Israel were ruled by their Prophets. When one died, there would follow another. There will be no Prophet after me, only Khulafaa’.’ They asked Rasulallah, ‘What should we do?’ He said ‘Give them bay’ah, one after the other, and give them their rights, because Allah will ask them about responsibility.’ [narrated by Muslim]
And peace and blessings be upon him said:
“إذا بويع لخليفتين فاقتلوا الآخر منهما”
“If allegiance is given to two Khaleefahs, then kill the latter of them.”
And peace and blessings be upon him said:
“من خلع يداً من طاعة لقي الله يوم القيامة لا حجة له، ومن مات وليس في عنقه بيعة مات ميتة جاهلية”
“The one who removes his hand from obedience he will meet Allah without a proof for himself’ and Whosoever dies without a bay’ah on his neck dies the death of Jahiliyyah.” [narrated by Muslim]
And the bay’ah of the Muslim is only for the Khaleefah of the Muslims as the above texts indicate. And the actions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم conform to these sayings, as he refused every flattery, compromise or condition for the establishment of the Islamic State, and he and his companions endured, for the sake of that, great harm, so he was patient until its establishment and he was the ruler in it and he ruled by the Laws of Islam from day one. And the companions held consensus on giving the bay’ah to one Khaleefah for the Muslims after the death of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and after the deaths of Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra), to the extent that they (may Allah be pleased with them) delayed the burial of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم after his death until the bay’ah was given to Abu Bakr and they were assured of the status of the Khilafah. These evidences are thorough and clear about the obligation of the Khilafah and the obligation of working to establish it, and that the system of governance in Islam is the Khilafah, thus the system of governance is not left to the judgment of the people or their choice.
-The Khilafah and Imama (leadership) have the same meaning which is general presidency of all the Muslims to establish the Islamic Ahkam Shari’a and to carry the Islamic Dawah, and it is mentioned in the Sahih Hadiths with both words with the same meaning, like the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:
“من بايع إماما فأعطاه صفقة يده وثمرة قلبه فليطعه إن استطاع فإن جاء آخر ينازعه فاضربوا عنق الآخر”
“Whosoever gave Bay’ah to an Imam, giving him the clasp of his hand, and the fruit of his heart, shall obey him as long as he can, and if another comes to dispute him, you must strike the neck of that man.” (narrated by Muslim)
Including the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:
“إنما الإمام جنة يقاتل من ورائه ويتقى به”
“Indeed the Imam is a shield, from whose behind (one) would fight and by whom one would protect oneself.” (narrated by Muslim)
And there is no meaning for one that contradicts the other, not in the Quran or Sunnah. And we do not know why the author ignored these texts…
-It is confusing and deceptive to make a connection between the Khilafah or Imama and ‘Ismah (flawlessness), for the Khilafah is a human state and not a godly state, and the Khaleefah and its government institutions are not flawless, for the Khaleefah is human who makes mistakes, and it is possible for him as it for others to fall oversight, forgetfulness and transgression because he is a human and not a Prophet or Messenger, and ‘Ismah (flawlessness) is not except for the Prophets and Messengers, and there are clear hadiths that mention that the Imam errs, forgets and transgresses, and nevertheless the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered obedience to him as long as he rules by Islam, and has not shown blatant Kufr (disbelief), and has not ordered a sin.
-It is a methodical error unacceptable from an unbiased writer to pass judgment on any idea according to the mistakes of some of its advocates, as it is also a doctrinal error that is unacceptable from a Muslim to judge a Hukm Shar’i by the misapplication by Muslims, instead of judging it based on the Shar’i texts and submitting to what is found in the texts. The Khilafah is not to be judged according to some of the political parties that pursue their self interests, especially because they do not call for Khilafah, and do not claim to implement Islam, instead it is only judged by the texts, and by the practical experience of the State that implemented Islam in the correct manner in the history of the Muslims. Not one of the models presented by the author claim to be an Islamic Khilafah so that the author could use them as a base to attack the Khilafah, instead the Arab Spring states and Iran have adopted the civil and republic ruling systems, or democracy, so it is more proper to attack democracy, civil and republic systems by these models and not the Khilafah, and to blame the civil and democratic systems for the failure of these models and not the Islamic Khilafah. By Allah, we are surprised that our writers and newspapers are intent on attacking the Khilafah, which does not exist on the ground, so they attribute all the problems of the Ummah to it on the grounds of what will happen when it is established! And they ignore the bitter reality and living fact that the systems of democracy, monarchy, and republic, that have ruled us since the superficial end of Imperialism in our lands until this day, have brought us nothing but calamities, backwardness, and degradation, and have caused us to become the lower of nations, whereas the Khilafah, throughout its establishment, led the world for more than 1300 years. So why then are we blinded of this truth and ignore the basis of our calamity? The truth, which reality proves and history confirms, is that we did not rule the world except with the Khilafah, and we did not become the bottom of nations except afterwards …
-It appears that the author has missed or ignored the culture of Hizb ut Tahrir and its ideas outlined in its books, and what it contains of economic, social, and political solutions to all the problems of the Muslims, which are all derived by Shar’i Ijtihad from the Shar’i texts, in addition to its complete constitution which is derived from the Shar’i evidences, for a full-fledged state; an industrial, agricultural, economically self-sufficient, independent in its political and cultural decision, and the Hizb has outlined all of this in its books that we invite the author to explore before he uses the approach of generalization to attack Islamic political parties and had the author viewed the books on the Hizb’s website (http://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.info), he would have found that it presents a clear Shar’i refutation of the Iranian constitution, and of the new Egyptian constitution. These are models that the author considered Islamic, and they are in truth nothing but democratic civil models, such as that which the content of the writer’s article promotes of its establishment…
And finally, we advise the writer not to fall into the trap of the Orientalist outlook which splits Islam in two, and makes from it “political Islam” and other Islams (spiritual or Sufi etc.). Islam is the true religion which was sent down by the Revelation to Allah’s slave and Prophet, and which will bring about the construction of the Earth by the implementation of Allah’s laws; the road to success in both worlds, so there is no division between matter and spirit, in contradiction to the man-made systems. We advise him to not deal with the Khilafah with astonishment as the title of his article, or with condemnation and shock of the call for it as in the content of his article, because the Khilafah is Allah’s promise:
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“Allah has promised those of you who have iman and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their deen with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security. ‘They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.’ Any who are kafir after that, such people are deviators.”
(An-Nur, 24:55)
And the glad tiding of his Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:
“تكون النبوة فيكم ما شاء الله أن تكون ثم يرفعها إذا شاء أن يرفعها ثم تكون خلافة على منهاج النبوة فتكون ما شاء الله أن تكون ثم يرفعها إذا شاء الله أن يرفعها ثم تكون ملكا عاضّاً فيكون ما شاء الله أن يكون ثم يرفعها إذا شاء أن يرفعها ثم تكون ملكا جبرية فتكون ما شاء الله أن تكون ثم يرفعها إذا شاء أن يرفعها ثم تكون خلافة على منهاج النبوة ثم سكت”
“There will be Prophethood for as long as Allah wills it to be, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be Khilafah on the Prophetic method and it will be for as long as Allah wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be biting Kingship for as long as Allah Wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be oppressive kingship for as long as Allah wills, then he will remove it when He wills, and then there will be Khilafah upon the Prophetic method” and then he remained silent. (narrated by Ahmad)
And more importantly it is an obligation from Allah upon every Muslim as demonstrated from the aforementioned evidences, and a Muslim who believes in Allah and His Prophet cannot oppose all of that.
Likewise we advise him to be of the people of truth, and of the people who follow the truth if it is shown to them, that he would publish this response in the same venue in which he published his article, and Allah had mercy on a man who has found the truth and acted according to it; and who realized his mistake and asked for his Lord’s forgiveness.
Osman Bakhach
Director of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
Friday, 10 Ramadan 1434 AH
19-07-2013
Issue No : 1434 AH /67